The Alliance
by John Reed
Summary: Set after the 1st season finale, someone learns that Buffy is the Slayer. Her friends rally around her to protect her secret and find that she is in serious danger...


_This story was written between the first and second season of Buffy and occurs around then. There is no Spike, Ms. Calendar does not yet have a first name (though there has been a little tension between her and Giles. Willow still wants Xander who wants Buff who wants Angel who wants her but ... never mind - you get the idea_

_It is the third of 6 I wrote about that time - and was the easiest to put together engouh to post here..._

Discovered

There were two of them. They had both attacked her at once.

She used the general rule she had been taught and had used before - kick them both at once to stun them, pick up one and throw it is far away as she could. Then handle the other. Buffy had done that, but the vampire she was supposed to handle wasn't cooperating.

She tried a couple of kicks towards the head, but it wasn't falling for this a second time. She knew it was taking too long, that the other would be back soon. Finally she faked another kick to the head. When the vampire leaned to avoid it, she was able to sweep its feet out from under it. She was quick with the stake to its heart, plunging it in while it was still stunned.

The other vampire grabbed her from behind just as she had plunged in the stake. She didn't have a feel for where its mouth was and couldn't free her arms. She did manage to stomp its foot with the heel of the boot she wore while hunting. It startled the vampire enough that it loosed its grip on her just a little. She was able to slide through his arms to freedom. As she hit the ground. she was able to push up with her hands and kick her legs up, catching the vampire under the chin with both feet. The vampire fell onto its back. She flipped herself up while drawing another stake and quickly found its heart before it was able to get up.

She was still tense, not sure whether there were any other vampires near. She had just started her hunt at this spot, she did not have a chance to see much else before she was attacked. Then she heard movement in some nearby bushes. She readied another stake and pounced on what was in there.

"No!" a man of about 22 or 23 years of age shouted as she pushed him to the ground, and raised the stake to within striking distance. "I'm not one of them!"

The Slayer seemed to freeze. She did not release her grip, but did not strike either. She was trying to "hone" as Giles would say, to use her senses to determine whether or not he was really a vampire. He did not have the face of a vampire on the hunt, but still ...

She ended up just believing the terror in his eyes. She had never seen that in a vampire.

"Please," he said again.

Buffy let him up. "You need to leave. It's not safe here."

She started to leave, to continue her hunt. Experience had taught her that where there were two vampires, there could easily be three.

"You don't need to look anymore," he said. "There are no more of them."

She turned around and looked at him. He had not moved, and was about 15 feet away from her.

"And exactly how do you know that?" she asked. He was starting to annoy her.

He started to answer, but was set upon by another vampire. Buffy immediately ran to his aid-managing to kick the vampire in its face while it was getting ready to bite him. It dropped him and fell backwards. She swept the feet out from under it, gave it another kick and staked it.

She glared at the man. "You need to leave." She said again, with more force this time. Again she started to walk away from him.

"I'm safe enough here." He said, rubbing his wounds. "You're the Slayer, aren't you?"

Buffy froze in her tracks, the turned back to face him. "Who are you?"

He only smiled, not a happy smile. A smile of someone who had made a guess, whose guess had been confirmed.

Buffy panicked. She recalled what Giles had said about her identity as the Slayer being revealed-how it would put her and those around her in danger. She remembered that Darla had figured out who she was and where she lived, and that, before it was over, she had almost lost her mother and Angel. She punched the man in the jaw, knocking him out.

* * *

Not Last Forever

"Angel," Buffy called as she knocked on his door. "Please open. I need help."

No answer.

She repeated the knock and the plea. Still no answer.

Angel came behind her while she was trying to decide what to do.

"Buffy, I had just left when I heard you." He then noticed the man she was carrying. "Who's he?"

"Let's get him inside." she said shortly.

Angel unlocked the door and helped her carry him in. laying him on the couch.

"Who is he?" Angel asked again.

"I don't know." Buffy said, the concern showing on her face. "But he knows who I am...or what I am. Angel, he knows I'm the Slayer."

Now the concern began to show on Angel's face. "How?"

"I don't know. He saw me fighting vampires."

"What happened to him."

"I hit him," Buffy said. "Please call Giles, and ask him to meet us at the library with Xander and Willow, if they can come."

Angel took another look at the man, then left to make the call.

"Buffy, he won't stay out forever." he said after returning.

"I know. Let's get him to the library. We need to decide what to do before he wakes up."

* * *

The Librarian

Giles, Willow and Xander were at the library waiting for Buffy and Angel.

"He didn't say anything about why she wants us here?" Willow asked.

"No," Giles replied. "Just that Buffy wanted us to get here as soon as possible."

The door opened. Angel and Buffy came in, carrying an unconscious man.

"Buffy," Giles said, startled by her expression as well as the man they were carrying. "Who is this?"

Buffy related the story to them.

"Giles, what could happen if he knows who she is?" Xander asked.

"Remember Darla?" Giles answered coldly. "Buffy's mother almost died. This is very serious."

"We can't leave him here," Buffy said. "I'm not sure he knows who I am. We can't have him connecting the Slayer with the school or any of you."

"How do we find out who he is and what he wants?" Willow asked.

"Maybe..." Xander said as he started fumbling through his pockets. The others watched him, a little shocked, but did not stop him.

"What if he wakes up?" Willow asked.

"I can't hit him again," Buffy said. "He woke up on the way here and I had to hit him. I've hit him twice already. I'm afraid I might do some real damage if..."

"One thing's for sure," Xander said, pulling out a hotel key. "He's not from around here."

"Maybe we should put him back in the hotel room," Willow said.

"I don't think so," said Buffy. "I think we need to keep an eye on him, to see why he's here, to find out what he knows, and what he intends to do."

"We need a place to take him. Giles mused out loud.

"Who can we trust? We need someone who he will not connect with the rest of us." Then an idea occurred to him "Ms. Calendar."

He left to call her.

* * *

Ms. Calendar

As soon as Ms. Calendar arrived, she felt the tension in the room. Giles had briefly related the story to her when he called.

"He looks familiar," she said looking at him closely.

"Familiar?" Giles asked.

"Oh no!" she suddenly cried. "Willow, get on the web!"

Willow jumped up, startled, and immediately turned on the computer. "What is it." Giles asked.

"Rupert, I'm sorry." she replied. "I should have remembered. It's just that I ran across it before I knew about Buffy."

"What?"

"I'm on." Willow said. "Where to?"

"Search for `The Alliance'," Ms. Calendar said. "And add the word `vampire' to your search as well."

Buffy backed up towards Angel, who was standing against the wall, trying to watch Willow, Ms. Calendar and the man all at the same time. Angel noticed, and put his arm around her, pulling her next to him.

"What do you remember," Giles asked Ms. Calendar.

"I think he's part of a group that I ran across earlier, while surfing. They call themselves `The Alliance'. There's a longer name, maybe `The Vampire Alliance' or `The Alliance Against Vampires" - I don't remember. Anyway, it's `The Alliance' that they use. They search databases all over for vampire-related phenomena, or at least what they think is vampire-related. They have all kinds of discussion groups and chats. I used to glance at some of their stuff, but I didn't pay that much attention to it. I haven't been to their site since I knew about Buffy."

"Then if he knows the Slayer is here...:" Xander began.

"It could be all over the world, if it isn't already." Giles finished. "We can't let that happen."

"I've found them." Willow said. She began search through their material, Ms. Calendar looking over her shoulder.

"How did you recognize him?" Giles asked Ms. Calendar.

"Some of them have profiles, including pictures." She said. "I only looked at a couple. His was one. I think he's a major player in their group."

"Giles," said Willow apprehensively, "they know about the Harvest and even the Anointed One."

"What?" Giles said.

"They don't call them that," Willow said, "But they have newspaper clippings of the Harvest, and they discuss that it may have been vampire-related. And they have a section on prophecies, including someone that sounds like the Anointed One. And a section on the Slayer."

Buffy was sitting on the floor now, curled up, he head resting on her knees. "It's getting worse and worse" she thought. Angel was keeping an eye on the visitor.

"Any mention of him?" Xander asked, nodding towards the man.

"Yes. His name is Paul Fischer. It's his group and his site He indicates that he was coming here to check out the things that have been happening. He was going to report back to them tomorrow night."

"Willow," Giles ordered, "pull down as much as you can about what they know about Sunnydale, the prophecies and the Slayer. And about him. Let's see who he is and what he knows."

"OK," she said, adding "if it's any consolation, they don't talk like they know who the Slayer is, or where she is, or even if there is one now. He may have just guessed."

"They know now." Buffy softly said.

"He could wake up any time," Angel said. "We should get him away from here."

"Yes," Giles said. "Let's not give him any information he doesn't already have."

"He can come to my house, Rupert," Ms. Calendar said.

"You can't handle him alone if he wakes up," Giles said again, thinking out loud.

"I'm the only one whose been compromised," Buffy said, standing up. She was getting over the initial shock, and wanted to do something to repair the damage. "I should be there when he wakes up."

"You both need your sleep." Giles said, then added, looking at Buffy, "And you need to spend the night at home."

"I can stay with him for most of the night," Angel said. "I can handle him if he wakes up. Buffy could replace me just before dawn."

"Works for me," Ms. Calendar said, looking at Angel, grinning.

Buffy shot a quick glare at her.

"It's probably our best chance." Giles finally said. Then looking at Angel, Buffy and Ms. Calendar he said "You three should get him there before he wakes up. Then go home, Buffy, and make sure your mother sees you. Leave a note for her in the morning that you are here, working with me. I will be here if she calls. I will try to find out tonight what he knows, and what we can do about it."

After they left, Giles joined Willow and Xander near the printer and started sorting the printouts.

"I'll take the prophecies and the Slayer, Willow, you take `the Alliance' and the local newspaper clippings, Xander you take Paul Fischer. Let's find out what they know."

* * *

Paul

Buffy arrived at Ms. Calendar's house a hour before dawn. She was dressed for school, not for hunting. Her hair was down. She wore no black. She used the key she had been given the previous night.

As she entered, she heard Angel arguing with Paul.

"We only want to help," she heard in what she thought was Paul's voice.

"This isn't helping," she heard Angel say.

They both fell silent when they heard their door open.

"How long has he been up?" she asked Angel when she entered the room they were in.

"About 15 minutes. I thought about calling, but knew you'd be here soon." Angel replied.

"You're not going to hit me again are you?" Paul asked Buffy apprehensively. He was feeling the pain from the Slayer's previous strikes.

Buffy's face remained stern as she looked at him. "No, not yet anyway. It depends on why you're here."

"We just want to help." was all Paul said.

Buffy looked at Angel. "That's all I could get out of him," Angel said. "Though I didn't try very hard." He looked a Paul. "I could..."

"Don't!" she interrupted. "I'll call...," she said, catching herself before saying Giles' name, "I'll call and see what's next."

Buffy went into another room to make the call.

"Hello," Giles answered the library phone.

"Giles. He's awake." Buffy said.

"When?"

"Angel says about 15 minutes."

"Is he all right? I mean, you didn't hurt him..."

"He's fine," she interrupted. "But he won't say much. Just something about wanting to help."

"I really think he doesn't know much. He's apparently done this kind of thing before-gone places he thinks vampire activity may have occurred. He appears to be someone with a very strange hobby, who got a week off of work and decided to come here to check into some strange newspaper reports."

"Giles, he figured out that I am the Slayer."

"Willow appears to have been right last night," Giles continued. "His group knows there are references to the Slayer in some archaic texts, but have apparently not connected the Slayer with anyone who has ever lived. As far as they know, she's a myth. In fact they have spent considerable time arguing the point..."

Buffy decided to cut him off. "Giles, we don't have much time. Angel will need to leave soon. We need to decide what to do with him."

"Bring him here."

"I don't want him to connect me with any of you."

"He can see you're a teenager. I think he would make the connection with the school on his own. And we need his cooperation. Do you want him to have you arrested for assault?"

"Fine. I'll take him there. Then what?"

"We'll talk to him, reason with him."

Buffy still did not like the idea. "What if he doesn't see it our way?"

"What other choice is there at this point?" Giles asked. "Hit him again? Besides, his group expects to hear from him tonight."

Buffy surrendered. "Okay. We'll take him there as soon as Ms. Calendar is ready."

* * *

The Gap

Angel stayed as long as he felt he safely could, and was leaving just as Ms. Calendar finished getting ready. Buffy caught him just outside the front door.

"Thanks for helping, and for watching him last night."

"You know I'd do anything for you," he replied.

"Does he know about you being a ..."

"No." he interrupted. He couldn't bear to hear the word. "At least I don't think so." He began walking away.

"Will I see you tonight?" she asked.

He stopped briefly, turned towards her, slightly smiled, and nodded. She smiled back

"The gap between us is still too wide..." she whispered to herself.

* * *

Another One

When they arrived at the library, Giles was alone. Ms. Calendar, Buffy and Paul entered. Paul could feel that he was an untrusted outsider.

"What do you know, and why are you here?" Giles began without formalities.

"We just want to help." Paul said.

"Help what?"

"Help destroy vampires."

"Did you even believe that there were vampires before last night?"

"I've always believed. Now I know, just as well as I know that there's a Slayer, and it's her." Paul said, nodding toward Buffy.

"What do you know of the Slayer?" Giles asked.

"She hunts vampires. There's only one on earth at a time."

"Do you know what could happen if her identity is revealed?"

Paul did not answer.

"Do you know why she hit you last night?"

"I guess because I called her the Slayer."

"Because," Giles continued "you show no regard for her position. If she is unmasked, she is in grave danger. If she dies, hundreds could die. Thousands."

Paul's mind was racing. Finally, he thought, he had evidence of what he had always believed. To see vampires and the Slayer was more than he could have dreamed of. And here he was with her, and with those who helped her. This is where he wanted to be. But somehow he had blown it. He was not welcome and he knew it.

"We just want to help." was all Paul could say.

"If you want to help, don't tell anyone what you've seen."

"I'm supposed to report back tonight, me and Dane." With seeing her and the other events, Paul had forgotten the friend that had come to Sunnydale with him. "Where's Dane?"

Giles, Ms. Calendar, and Buffy looked at him, clueless.

"He was with me, last night. I lost track of him when she came."

"Oh great." Buffy said. "There's another one."

"Did you see anyone else?" Giles asked Buffy.

"No. No one. But I kind of had my hands full."

"Could he have been taken by the vampires?"

"I don't think so," Buffy said. "They had just started hunting. I don't think any of them had fed."

"We saw no indication on your site that anyone was coming with you." Ms. Calendar said.

"It was a last minute decision of his. He likes to tag along on others' trips then pop up with a report on it when no ones expecting it."

"Then what happened. Where is he?" Ms. Calendar asked.

All three looked at Paul.

"I don't know. Maybe he got scared and went back to the hotel. We could call his room." Paul offered.

"Please do," Giles said, pointing to the telephone.

"I really don't think you have anything to worry about," Paul said. "Dane's okay."

"We're not going to risk the Slayer's life on what you think is `okay'," Giles retorted.

While Paul called, Giles joined the others.

"We've got to find him." Ms. Calendar said. "And we've got to keep him here." she added, nodding towards Paul.

"We can't force him to stay," Giles replied. "We have to gain his cooperation before the students start arriving."

"Do you believe what he's saying about wanting to help?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, based on the information we've got."

Paul came toward them. "He's not there. I left a message that I needed to talk to him before he goes on line tonight."

"And he could send a report to your site?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"Yes, we both brought our laptops."

Giles gave Ms. Calendar a quizzical look. "I'll explain later" she said.

Buffy decided this was moving too slowly.

"Paul, what are you going to do?" she asked.

Paul was pleased to hear his name from her. "I would never do anything to endanger you. You've got to believe me."

"I do."

"I'll do whatever you guys think I should."

"We think you should go back where you came from and never mention a word of this to anyone." Giles said.

"It's too late for that." Paul said. "I can say that I've found nothing interesting. Heaven knows, I've had to say that before."

Buffy smiled slightly. She was somewhat amused by the thought of him looking for vampires where there weren't any. She was beginning to believe him.

"I'd appreciate that." she said. "But we must convince your friend to do the same."

"He could be anywhere." Paul said.

"I can get a sub fairly easy," Ms. Calendar said. "I'll take him back to the hotel and then we can look for his friend."

Giles agreed. She left to make arrangements.

"I really do want to help." Paul said to Buffy.

"You can help by leaving and staying quiet." Giles said.

"Giles." Buffy said, believing that his attitude would hurt more than help. Then she turned to Paul. "First let's find your friend. Then we can talk."

"Can I at least know your name?" Paul asked Buffy.

Buffy heard Giles start to say something but stopped him with a raise of her hand. "I'm starting to trust you, but not that much."

* * *

The Search

Paul and Ms. Calendar went to the hotel. Dane did not answer his door. Paul showered and changed while Ms. Calendar waited in the lobby, calling Dane's room, asking employees if they had seen him. She obtained no information.

"Any ideas where he could be?" she asked Paul when he came.

"No. We just arrived yesterday afternoon. We only had time to check in, eat and then go where we were last night."

"Where were you planning on going today?"

"Probably to find old newspaper articles that we couldn't get on the net. Also to check out `The Bronze'. We think some stuff happened there."

"Well," said Ms. Calendar as she started to leave. "That makes the haystack a little smaller. Time to start looking for the needle."

* * *

Capture

Dane sat in his car and looked at Buffy's house. He had seen her the night before. He and Paul were both well hidden, not really expecting to see much (they never saw anything before), But then the vampires came. They were scared-too scared to move, wondering if this had been such a good idea after all. Then she came. Dane was sure she was the Slayer-someone he had always thought of as just a legend, if not a myth. The way she fought and then killed the vampires-it had to be her. Paul had been foolish. He left the hiding place to get a better look at her, maybe even talk to her. Then it looked like she was attacking him. Still Dane just watched. When she walked away from his friend, a vampire attacked Paul from behind. She came back and killed it as well. Then it looked like Paul said something which upset her. She decked him with one blow. Then she carried him away without much trouble. Dane was sure. This had to be the Slayer.

Whatever Paul said, it must have occupied her mind. Dane had no trouble following her without getting caught, and he was not skilled at following people. He followed her first to what looked like an old apartment building, then to the local high school. He had no idea what happened in either place. Three people carried Paul to another house, then she left alone. He followed her here. When she stayed, he assumed this was home and went back to the hotel that night, but got little sleep. He knew she was the Slayer, he knew where she lived. How could he use that information to get what he wanted?

In the morning he got the message from Paul. He was glad that Paul was okay, but had no intention of letting him get in the way. He never did tell Paul the real aim behind his joining "The Alliance". He had come close a couple of times, but he never did tell him everything. Anyway, he could convince Paul later. Now he had to think of a way to deal with her. That was the trouble with myths. You could never tell if what was said about her was true or not. But he was sure it would not be easy, and he was sure she would not cooperate.

Buffy was a little uneasy when she arrived home after school. Paul and Ms. Calendar had called in a couple of times-no sign of his friend. How many places could he be in Sunnydale? Had he gotten scared and just gone home? Or maybe a vampire got him after all. She had just entered when she felt a pain in the back of her head and heard a thump. She tried to turn around but saw no one. She became unconscious. Dane now had a problem. She was out, but for how long? He needed her alive. And how could he handle her when she wakes up? If what he had read about the Slayer was true, it would be difficult. And it was still a couple of hours to sundown. He wondered if he should have thought this through a little more carefully.

* * *

Update

Willow was at their computer, checking out The Alliance site.

"Giles it's up. He did it."

"What?" Giles asked.

"In their `Updates' section. He described seeing the vampires, and the Slayer fighting and killing them."

"The he lied to us." He said, but then thought about it. "But he's with Ms. Calendar. It must have been his friend."

"Yeah." Willow said. She had been told about Dane earlier.

"It wasn't Paul."

"Can you remove the report?"

"I can try." Willow said. "If Paul were here, it would make it easier."

"I'll see what I can do," Giles said, heading for the telephone.

* * *

Back at the Hotel

Paul and Ms. Calendar had found nothing anywhere else and were back at the hotel. She was asking at the desk again while Paul was searching the room.

"Nothing." Ms. Calendar said as she jointed Paul in his hotel room. "No one knows anything."

"Nothing here either," Paul said. "He's taken everything. It's as if he wasn't here."

"Have you tried to call him again?"

"Yeah. Left another message," came the reply as the teacher's phone rang. She went into the hall to take call.

"We need to go back to the school," she told Paul. "Your friend updated your site. We need you to get it down."

* * *

The Reason

"It's done." Paul said, "though I don't know if anyone saw it."

Giles only nodded. He had not softened towards Paul at all, and was even more upset that the calls to Buffy's home were unanswered.

Willow noticed a light on the phone Paul had laid down on the table next to his laptop while they were working.

"Do you have a message?" she asked him.

"Oh, I've had it on vibrate."

Willow watched his expression change from relieved to unsure to desperate. Giles had moved over to them as well.

"What is it?" she asked when he finally lowered the phone.

"Dane. He said he has the Slayer. He said he would tell me about it later, if it works."

Giles had moved to them. "About what? If what works?" he asked impatiently.

"I don't know, about his plan, I guess."

Ms. Calendar had been working at a computer herself, trying to find out everything she could about Dane. She had heard what Paul said and finally decided she had to speak.

"He wants to become a vampire, Rupert. He's afraid of dying."

Giles glared at Paul. "Doesn't your page or whatever say that when you become a vampire, that it is not you? That a demon gets your body? That you are just dead?"

Paul couldn't answer, he just looked as if he didn't understand.

Giles shook his head. "We have to find Buffy."

"Buffy?" Paul asked, surprised at the Slayer's name.

* * *

Angel

"You left her alone knowing there's somebody out there who knows who she is?"

Angel was yelling and glaring at Xander. Xander didn't like going to the vampire and asking for his help, though he had done it before, on Prom Night, and they seemed to be on reasonably good terms.

They had been to Buffy's house and The Bronze – nothing. They decided to have Paul take them to where he saw Buffy the previous night.

"We didn't know – and she can take care of herself."

It wasn't quite sunset. The vampire glared at him for several seconds before saying "We'll leave as soon as I can."

"I'll leave now. You know where to go."

* * *

My Kingdom for a Stake

Buffy was almost free of the rope. She was also about to be taken underground. She had been under ground twice. Both times had nearly cost her her life (well one time actually did-technically, she surmised). She did not want to go again.

Nearly free, but she had nothing to fight with but her hands and feet. She remembered her horrific feeling when she realized what Paul's friend was going to do with her. The vampires came. There were two of them.

He tried to talk with them-he kept saying "She's the Slayer. She's yours, if you give me what I want." Maybe they understood him, maybe not. But they dragged him away, both feeding on him.

She tried to help-to free herself. Even in this situation, the Slayer's instinct required it. But she just couldn't get free in time.

Just as they reached what she thought was the entrance, she was free. She did not wait-she feared the entrance more than the fight she knew would follow.

She kicked one vampire, punched the other, and the she hit the ground. It hurt, but she was able to get up and run a few feet away before they recovered. Then she turned around to face them. Her kicks and punches were powerful, even in her weakened state, but not quite deadly-not to vampires. They kept coming. She needed a stake or something. Anything to end it. She looked around but saw nothing promising.

* * *

The Rot

"Is that what they do to you?" Paul asked, looking away after they found Dane's body.

"Yes. That is what you came here to see." Giles was still upset with Paul.

Angel had led them there, but was ignoring them now as he looked for signs of Buffy. He had found where she had been lying. He saw no signs of a struggle around where she had been. He also saw where the man had been pacing while waiting, and signs of a brief struggle, which he assumed were from him. But no such signs where he thought she had been. It looked like she had been dragged in, but carried out.

The footprints of those he thought carried her out came from and went to the same direction. He left following, walking rapidly, not waiting for the others to follow. Then he heard the sounds of the fight.

He ran as fast as he could towards the noise. Then he saw Buffy and two vampires. She was keeping them at bay, but not much more. He had come prepared. He drew a stake and attacked. He was able to throw one vampire away from the fight while tossing the stake to Buffy. Buffy saw him and caught it. Having what she needed at last, she caught the vampire with two quick kicks to the head, and then a stake to his chest. Angel watched the other vampire run away, then turned towards Buffy intending to help her.

"No, go after it" she said. "I'll be okay."

Angel quickly obeyed her and took off after the vampire. Then she realized where she was-at an entrance. Not knowing if there could be more vampires, she pulled herself up and started walking in the direction she had been carried from. She saw Giles, Paul, Xander, Willow and Ms. Calendar. They had followed Angel, but couldn't keep up with him when he started running.

"Giles," she said as soon as he came to her, pointing to where she believed the entrance was "there's an entrance up there that they use."

"I'll see to it at first light" he said, then added "Ms. Calendar, some light please."

She pointed the light from her flashlight towards Buffy, checking her up and down, examining the rope mark on her wrists and ankles, finally keeping it steady on her head.

"That's a nasty bump," Giles said, examining the injury. "It will need some attention. I've got what I'll need in the library."

They helped her up and started to leave. "What about Angel?" Buffy asked.

"It's taken care of." Angel said from behind her. She looked back and found him just joining them.

"And what about Dane?" Paul asked, still sickened by what he saw.

"We can't be involved in finding him." Giles said. "Report him missing. Someone will find him. They will come up with their usual rot about gangs or whatever."

* * *

The Prophecies

The next day, in the library. Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, Ms. Calendar and Paul are talking.

"Then you're leaving today," Giles said.

"Yeah." Paul said. "If nothing else, I need to make it look like there was nothing interesting here. I'm not sure what to do when the article on Dane's death from the local newspaper hits the net."

"Oh, I think we can handle that part," Willow said smiling and glancing at Ms. Calendar who was smiling just much. Giles just looked uncomfortable.

"And who is this Angel?" Paul asked Buffy. He had wondered about Angel all night. The man who he woke up to yesterday. The man Xander went to get before they started looking for Buffy.

"A friend," Buffy said smiling. "He helps me sometimes. A lot, actually."

"I'd like to help too," Paul said, earnestly looking at her. "I know I won't be here, but I'd like to do something."

"Keep your site under control," Ms. Calendar said.

"Yes," said Giles. "Its far safer for Buffy if everyone thinks the Slayer is just a myth. Those of us who know must guard her secret at all costs. Even our most trusted friend could end up betraying her. It has happened before."

"I'll make sure no one will discover the truth-not on my site anyway." Paul said.

"And one other thing." Giles said. "About the prophecies Willow printed for me. I've seen most, but not all. Is there some way I can get my hands on the original texts?"

Paul smiled. This could be a way to help that would satisfy him. "I'll see what I can do," he said, "We can at least put you in touch with our sources. And I can keep my eyes open for you. People send me new stuff all the time. And a lot is out there on the net. We're finding new stuff all the time."

"But I assure you," he added as an afterthought, "our transcripts are accurate."

"Don't be offended," Ms. Calendar offered, "He thinks your transcripts are rather dull. Rupert just likes his prophecies to be smelly..."

_The End_


End file.
